Today, on National Gun Violence Awareness Day, Governor Josh Green signed two momentous pieces of legislation to reduce gun violence in Hawaiʻi:
(1) Senate Bill No. 1230 CD1, which clarifies, revises, and updates Hawaiʻi's firearms laws to mitigate the serious hazards to public health, safety, and welfare associated with firearms and gun violence, while respecting and protecting the lawful exercise of individual rights; and
(2) House Bill No. 1329 CD1, which requires the Hawaiʻi Department of Education to work with certain organizations to develop and implement an active shooter training program in all public and charter schools, and allows students to decline to participate in any active shooter training program.
“On National Gun Violence Awareness Day, we honor the survivors and those we have lost to gun violence, and we trust that common-sense gun violence prevention measures like House Bill No. 1329 CD1 will help keep Hawaiʻi safe for our neighbors and prevent future tragedies," said Senator Michelle Kidani, Vice President of the Senate. "With the signing of these bills into law, Hawaiʻi remains a national leader in gun violence prevention.”
"These new laws ensure that Hawaiʻi continues to be one of the safest states in America," said Senator Glenn Wakai, Chair of the Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee. "Gun advocates threaten to sue the State, but I am confident that lawmakers have crafted bills that are legally 'bullet proof.'"